How did the Introduction to SPSS course go?

By etavaresOn 30 September, 2013Listening to FMUL | 2013Comments Off on How did the Introduction to SPSS course go?No tags

Aware of the importance of statistics for scientific research and in order to overcome some of the difficulties experienced by students and interns in their scientific work, the CAML and GAPIC organized another edition of the Introduction to SPSS course.

This is the 4th edition of the course which, like previous ones, was taught in blended learning mode, in a virtual environment between 5 and 11 July, and two classroom sessions held on 8 and 10 July. The aim of the course is to disclose the potential of statistics in scientific research, make trainees familiar with some concepts of statistical theory and provide them with general knowledge for proper application to practice supported by SPSS.

Eighteen trainees attended the course. The majority was interns and the rest were students of the Integrated Master Degree in Medicine and postgraduate students. Regarding evaluation, the course was positively evaluated by trainees who, generally speaking, considered it to be very good, especially the programme, the trainer’s performance and the classroom sessions.

At the beginning of the course, most students self-assessed their level of knowledge in statistics and SPSS as “bad”. After completing the course, they assessed their own knowledge as being “good”. Therefore, their expertise improved, particularly in SPSS use and in the application of several statistical procedures using this software.

This course enabled trainees to acquire and/or retrain basic knowledge of statistics and SPSS. The students made several suggestions, including the organization of a more advanced course covering other SPSS statistical analyses and features.

Sónia Barroso
Office for the Support of Scientific and Technological Research and Innovation (GAPIC)gapicmail@fm.ul.pt